Winter's Enjoy
by Nate-kun
Summary: "Ta-dah! Season's greetings, Smallzura! This is for you! The Winter Envoy came all the way to Askr to deliver it! Can you believe it? !"


**Leave it to me to produce a Christmas fic mid-January three days after the Envoy units disappear into the seasonal ether. We're reaching levels of peak Nate-ism that shouldn't be possible and yet somehow are. With that said, if you like what you've read** **, consider a review. Thanks for your patience and continued support.**

 **Word count: 633 words.**

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Winter's Enjoy

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"The Winter Envoy isn't real."

Azura looks the other way and Corrin nearly chokes, dumbfounded, his mouth slightly ajar and his gift nearly tumbling out of his palm. It isn't uncommon for the little princess to lament but her words and the dour conviction with which she conveys them border on blasphemy. Ever the amicable prince, with an ethereal existence largely dedicated to lifting her spirits, Corrin does not hesitate to console her.

"Of course he is," the prince softly chuckles. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"Because."

She leaves it at that and hides behind her cards, an old habit from home. Corrin's grin withers—for she rarely shies away from people she trusts.

"Azura..." he sighs with concern.

"It's just a fairy tale," she says. "No one can deliver that many gifts in a single night."

"Even with magic?"

"Even with magic."

Corrin can only wonder as to what scale she's using to make such judgments, as well as whether something can be so fantastical and unrestrained by imagination that it cannot be achieved by any degree of sorcery. He's sure that a few examples must exist, but as a living, breathing dream— _an illusion turned reality_ —he cannot help but doubt the impossible.

"Well, how else do you explain your gift?" the prince asks, the one he aimed to surprise her with.

"I saw you wrapping it last night."

Corrin gulps.

"Sorry," her voice drops to a whisper. "I didn't mean to peek..."

Even as she apologizes, her eyes begin to wander, this time through the faint gaps in-between her shadowy cards. She spots Fae, Tiki, Nowi, and Myrrh rejoicing in the distant courtyard's snow. Kiran fumes as he attempts to keep the manaketes in line, his authority all but ignored in favor of endless sleeve tugging.

"They seem like they're having fun," Corrin hums, eliciting a guilty peep from the girl. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

She shakes her head and shuts the cards to obscure her view—an expected, albeit disappointing outcome.

"Grown-ups," she mumbles, a desire to deflect on her sleeve. "They're the ones who get all the gifts, not the Winter Envoy. He's nothing but a dream."

"Some dreams can be nice."

"I know. But I.." she pauses, thumbs fiddling. "I think I would like a gift more if I knew it was from a friend than someone I've never met. I never received many gifts back home... If the Envoy was real, he would have visited no matter what, but he never did, so I stopped believing..."

"Then let's rekindle that faith," Corrin bestows his gift to her once more. "Because with this present—I am your Envoy."

 _"Ah?"_ the little princess gasps, just in time for another gift to present itself to her from the opposite side. " _O-Oh!_ "

Azura, the older Lady of the Lake, smiles as she blesses her younger self. "Perhaps the Envoy is not so much a single person as an idea—a spirit encompassing the season, embellished with the warmth and mirth of those who cherish their loved ones. In a sense, all of us can be the Winter Envoy, we need only embrace tradition."

"Zuzu," the prince chides _(a rare occurrence)._ "How long were you eavesdropping?"

The older songstress can only giggle. "Long enough, I never did grow out of peeking."

" _I.._ " the younger Azura hiccups, realization settling in. " _T-Thank you—both of you!_ But... But now I have to get something for you two as well, don't I?"

"Your smile is a good start," Corrin chimes. "But I guess it's not as much of a surprise if we discuss your gifts in detail. Kiran might have some suggestions!"

"I believe he's occupied."

The older songstress gestures towards the downed Summoner, face-first into the chilled earth with snowballs pelting his backside.


End file.
